China & Iran Call on Afghanistan to Lift Restrictions on Afghan Women

China and Iran have called on Afghanistan, a neighbouring country, to lift its limitations on women's employment and education.

The request was made in a joint statement released after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's visit to Beijing, during which the two sides reaffirmed their close economic and political connections and their opposition to democratic and human rights norms held by the West.

Since assuming control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban has forbidden girls and women from attending universities and schools past the sixth grade and expelled any who held political office or other high-profile positions.

The statement stated that "the two sides... called on the Afghan rulers to form an inclusive government in which all ethnic groups and political groups participate, and cancel all discriminatory measures against women, ethnic minorities, and other religions." It also stated that "the U.S. and its NATO allies should be responsible for the current situation in Afghanistan."

The U.S. had supported the elected government of Afghanistan in its fight against the Taliban, but it withdrew as the costs skyrocketed and domestic support for the government waned as a result of its inability to fend off a Taliban resurgence.

The plea for women's rights is remarkable since it comes from the fundamentalist Shiite Muslim government of Iran, which has been confronted with months of demonstrations after a young lady died while in police detention for allegedly breaking clothing regulations.

Since the protests following Mahsa Amini's killing started in September, the nation's theocracy has executed a total of four men. All have gone through hasty, secret trials that have received widespread criticism.

The majority of the joint statement from China and Iran focused on close political and economic connections, the pursuit of Middle East peace and justice, and denuclearization despite Tehran's purported desire to develop atomic weapons.

Ebrahim’s previously met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and offered support for China's efforts to suppress democracy in Hong Kong and Taiwan. China and Iran support Russia's invasion of Ukraine tacitly and materially, and they see themselves as counterweights to American dominance alongside Moscow.

According to Xi, China "supports Iran in preserving national sovereignty" and "resisting unilateralism and bullying," according to a statement posted on the website of Chinese official TV.

According to the Chinese authorities, Xi and Ebrahim were present for the signing of 20 cooperation agreements, including ones for trade and tourism. These go along with a 25-year strategy commitment to work together on growing oil, industry, and other fields that were signed in 2021.

One of the biggest consumers of Iranian oil and a significant investor in China. Years of economic and financial sanctions placed by Washington and other Western nations have been difficult for Iran. In 2018, the American government barred Iran from the system that links international banks.